Reviewing the New York Jets' 2012 NFL Draft Needs

The New York Jets had their hands tied in free agency by cap issues, but the 2012 NFL draft awaits, and there will be plenty of opportunities for Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum to stock the cupboards with 10 picks.

For the Jets, that's an abundance, as they're used to making no more than four or five picks each year as they resign themselves to the free-agency frenzy.

But with a lot of needs, the Jets will need to maximize their picks. Which positions, exactly, are the most important?

Right Tackle

Wayne Hunter. Enough said.

In all honesty, the Jets right tackle graded out as the fourth-worst right tackle in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, and allowed an astonishing 11 sacks, second-most for any right tackle in the NFL.

Any improvement for Mark Sanchez next year rests in the ability of the offensive line to better protect him than they did last year.

Outside Linebacker

Bryan Thomas is back for another year, which is great news for the Jets because they have absolutely no depth behind him (as can be said for many positions on their roster). At 34 years old, though, Thomas won't be around forever, and it's time the Jets address that position.

They have already expressed interest in Courtney Upshaw, and that would be a great pick for them at No. 16 if he's available. 

What's more, the Jets had a much tougher time getting after the quarterback than usual last year, tallying just 35 sacks as a team and 15.5 of those coming from their rush ends. They'd like to get better production than that, especially in a blitz-happy defense like the one Rex runs.

Wide Receiver

Behind Santonio Holmes, the Jets have a host of unproven talent at receiver, and fortunately for the Jets, wide receiver is one of the deeper positions in the draft, according to Wes Bunting of National Football Post.

After adding Chaz Schilens and re-signing Patrick Turner, the Jets have at least found big-bodied targets for Sanchez in the red zone, but finding complementary pieces for Holmes and Jeremy Kerley should be a top priority.

The New York Giants showed what a difference a deep core of receivers can make, even without the greatest pass protection.

Inside Linebacker

Rex Ryan has said that Bart Scott will be with the team in 2012, but either way, the Jets will need to find another inside linebacker in the draft. Scott is simply getting old, and his inability to play on passing downs could be a problem for the Jets. Adding a youthful set of legs that can hold their own in coverage would be a huge help.

Even if the Jets didn't need to find a complementary interior linebacker for Scott now, they'd need to find one for the future anyway, as their depth at the position has yet to show the promise of stepping up in a starting capacity down the road.

Safety

Adding LaRon Landry, while it was the biggest move for the Jets in free agency (remember, Tebow was a trade), won't fix their issue at safety. Eric Smith is average at best, and Jim Leonhard's future with the team is as uncertain as his health following surgery on his patella tendon.

One of the most important things for the Jets to find in their safety is someone who can run; in their Cover 1 system, they need a safety that can effectively run sideline-to-sideline and one who can also cover tight ends and running backs man-to-man.

But the most important thing that they need is the ability to call the signals for the back end. That's an underrated aspect of Leonhard's game, and one that will be gone if the team elects not to bring him back.

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